The Lone Wolf
by ThenamesBlue
Summary: King Rick has been waiting for his mate since he was eighteen. He was starting lose hope when suddenly it happened. He felt them in his mind. They had presented and they were out there somewhere waiting for him but trouble in his kingdom keeps him from finding them. Will Rick find his mate and can his kingdom withstand the growing darkness on the horizon. Cover art: Duckdean tumblr
1. Chapter 1

The Lone Wolf

ABO Dynamics

Alpha Rick

Omega Morty

Rick could feel it. He could feel his mate out there somewhere under the same sky that he now stood in. His skin itched with the need to run to them, to take them as his own like had so desperately wanted to do since his eighteenth birthday. For years, he had felt nothing. Not a single trace of the bond that most alphas developed when they hit their eighteenth birthday. He'd started to fear he had no mate but one day it happened. He felt them. It started out as a headache, then grew and grew until he felt like the pressure in his skull would explode. He could do nothing to quell the ache in his chest that demanded he got to them.

He knew they were out there but for now, there was nothing he could do. He had a kingdom to rule after all. As he looked over the land that was his from his rooms balcony, someone cleared their throat behind him and he turned to see his squire standing a few feet back. "Out with it." He growled. The man had never been one for patience. He was known across the lands for his brutal methods and violent victories. He ruled with an iron fist that no one dare challenge, and the few that did weren't around to tell the tale.

"The council would like to see you my lord." His squire spoke up quietly. Rick could smell the fear wafting off his skin. It made the wolf inside him growl in pleasure. "Of course, they do." He growled and then pushed past the small man and into his room. The council was constantly requesting him these days. If he wanted to, he could do away with them in a blink of an eye, but their support of his triumphs kept them were they were.

He was led down the winding hallways of the castle by his personal guard. His squire followed behind, keeping a safe distance. As he entered the large room that housed the council when they were attending, four pairs of eyes turned to look at him. The council consisted of one ambassador from each realm he ruled over. The tallest of the four stood and bowed as he entered before clearing his throat. Rick took a seat in the throne that was placed in the room specifically for his pleasure. He snapped his fingers and a servant walked forward with a glass of his favorite mead. "What is it this time Julias?" he asked, clearly annoyed. Julias gave him an equally annoyed look but Rick could smell the sour scent of subtle fear that he tried so hard to hide away. He grinned showing a row of white teeth and fangs.

Julias cleared his throat and steeled back down into his chair. "The people are getting anxious my lord." He stated lamely and Rick rolled his eyes before taking a gulp from his cup. "When are they not anxious?" he asked sarcastically. The other members eyed Julias, and then looked away. Rick wanted to challenge their cowardice but he let it go reluctantly.

"Well my lord…They're wondering…" he started but then trailed off. Rick got the sense that this time, the problem was more advanced and he turned his full attention to the man. He set his cup on the table beside him before leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees so that he could rest his chin on his clasped hands. "Do you have a frog in your throat Julias? Spit it out." He growled and the smell of fear in the room heightened.

"They-They're concerned about your lack of a mate my lord. They fear- Well they fear you may not be able to rule alone." Julias finished and Rick stood abruptly from his throne anger rolled off him in waves, and everyone in the room was sure to miss his gaze as a show of submission to their alpha. Even Julias, who was an alpha himself, cast his eyes down and away as Rick stomped up to the table he sat at.

"I dare whoever spoke of this to say it to my face." He snarled slamming his hands down on the table in front of them. Julias flinched and was silent for a while before slowly looking up, still not meeting his gaze. "Well-um- my lord." He stuttered. "You're turning thirty-five this-this year." He stammered and Rick's nostrils flared. "What of it?" he demanded. One of the other council members, Joseph decided to speak up for once. Rick would have commended him for his bravery if he weren't so furious. His eyes snapped to the small man as he cleared his throat. He was a beta so his scent was less aggressive but Rick could still scent the uncertainty and fear in him.

"If I may, my lord?" he asked, not meeting Rick's gaze. Rick stared at him for a moment before clearing his throat and calming the wolf inside him. "Continue Joseph." He agreed. The small man stood and bowed slightly to show his respect before continuing, "We know-." He gestured to the rest of the council as he spoke. "That you are more than capable of ruling the kingdom on your own. We've seen you prove yourself countless times in battle and in court." He said and the wolf inside him basked in the glory of his compliments. _What an arrogant creature._ He thought, before returning his attention to the man as he spoke.

"But the people are naive. They need the old traditions to feel at ease." Rick knew he was right. He growled softly and turned away to pace a few feet and then back. "What would you have me do?" he asked. Julias and Joseph shared a look with the rest of the council before Joseph pushed on. "Well, we've devised a plan that may help the situation." He stated and Rick glanced between them all. They were afraid he wouldn't like it, and he was sure that they were right.

"Out with it then." He growled and Joseph nodded.

"We advise you to throw a ball. Invite ten of the most eligible omegas from each of the four realms and spend the night trying to find a mate you approve of." He finished quickly. Rick's first instinct was to be enraged and his lip started to curl with a silent snarl. _How dare they suggest he settle for some random omega when he could feel his mate out there waiting for him._ Another thought came to him, and he quelled the anger rising inside of him. There was a chance he would meet his mate this way. He didn't have time to go out and scower the kingdom for his mate, no matter how much his wolf wanted him to. This was his chance to possibly find his mate. The thought instantly calmed the wolf side of himself and he turned back to face the council.

"Very well. Arrange it." He declared before turning on his heel to stomp out of the room.


	2. Chapter 2

Morty wiped the sweat from his brow as he pulled a tray of fresh buns out of the wood fired oven. It was a cool summer morning for once in the village but the soft breeze did nothing to quell the heat of his skin. His mate was angry. He could feel it through their slight bond. Ever since he turned eighteen and presented as an omega, he had been feeling a presence that softly brushed up against his own mind and today that presence was angry. As he worked in his family's bakery he tried to send thoughts of encouragement through the bond but it was difficult to focus on such a busy day. His family owned a popular bakery in the village and ever since he had presented as omega, the business had picked up.

Every unmated alpha in the village had flocked to their doors, wanting to get a peek at the new omega and Morty hated it. They weren't his mate and he didn't want them, but still they persisted. His only relief was that his mother, an alpha, had a high standing in the village and she was usually able to keep most people away from the boy. Today though, it was nearly impossible. They were getting constant orders and there was no time for his mother to help him out as someone sidled up behind him and wrapped their arms around his thin waste.

"Someone smell's lovely today." A gruff voice spoke behind him and his hair rose on end when the stranger leaned to scent his neck. He ducked and struggled out of the man's grasp before backing away with the hot tray of bread in his hands. The stranger turned out to be a regular alpha who came to visit the shop nearly every day. "Stay away from me Tomas." He growled softly at the man who had glowing green eyes and a smirk that was forever plastered to his face. Everything about the man disgusted him.

"Oh, don't be like that sweetheart." He purred and stepped around the edge of the counter to block Morty's path. Morty could feel his frustration growing. "Do I need to remind you that I already have a mate?" he chimed and then reversed his direction to walk behind one of the wooden tables that they rolled the dough out on. Tomas's smug grin dropped for a moment and was replaced with irritation. "Where are they then?" he quipped and Morty felt his heart squeeze painfully. It was true that after a year of waiting for his mate nothing had happened. Most people found their mate within a month of their eighteenth birthday. It was a source of constant pain for him. He kept wondering why he hadn't found them yet.

 _Did they not want him?_ He thought bitterly and then shook his head to focus on his work. "Did you want to buy something or did you just come to waste my time?" he asked angrily. Tomas looked at him thoughtfully for a moment and then grinned once again.

"Well I presume you've heard the news?" he asked, grabbing an apple from the bowl of fruit that was sitting on the table and taking a big bite out of it. Morty's interest peaked as he dusted the table with flour so that the dough he was going to roll out wouldn't stick. "What news?" he asked obliviously and Tomas huffed. "You omegas, so carefree and inattentive." He quipped. Morty wanted to claw his face off.

"King Sanchez is throwing a ball. He's inviting ten omegas and their families from each realm to showcase themselves as possible mates." Morty's eyes widened at the mention of the king's name and he tried to cover up the scent of fear that immediately arose with it. He'd heard tales of the unmated king and his violent victories for the kingdom. He was renowned for his fury and precision on the battle field. There was also the rumor that he was thirty-four and still unmated. Morty could care less about that fact but he had heard whispering from several people in the village about how improper it was.

"That's…interesting." He admitted and sprinkled a bit of rosemary onto the dough before continuing to roll it out. Tomas eyed him for a moment longer before flipping his long blond hair over his shoulder and turning away. "Well as my sister is an omega from a distinguished family, I will be going. Just thought you should know so that you don't go looking for me darling." He stated arrogantly. Morty wanted to throw up at the implications that he had any interest in the alpha. "Thank you for letting me know." He quipped sarcastically. Tomas flashed him a snarky grin before turning towards the door to the shop. "Goodbye my love!" he called over his shoulder as he went. Morty growled softly under his breath and turned away.

The rest of the day went by in a blur. It was the busiest season of the year and everyone worked their hardest to get all orders done. By the end of the day Morty was exhausted and covered in a thin layer of sweat and flour. He washed his hands in the basin of water they kept outside the door to the main part of their cottage before pulling back the curtain to enter the room. His sister was already seated at the dinner table, chattering away about some boy who had brought her flowers that day while his mother stirred a pot of stew that was hanging over the fire. His father had skipped out on them years ago and was less than a memory at that point.

"Tired sweet heart?" his mother, Beth, asked as he took a seat at the table and hung his head over the back of his chair. "Very." He responded and his mother gave him a sympathetic look before placing a bowl of stew down in front of him. "Well maybe some good news will cheer you up?" she said and Morty raised his head lazily in interest. His sister, Summer, was quiet as well for once. "We have been invited to the Kings ball!" he announced excitedly and Morty's eyes nearly popped out of his head. Summer squealed in delight and clapped her hands together.

"Oh my goodness this is amazing! I can't wait to dance and eat-." She started but Beth cut her off by holding up a hand. "No, no. We're not going for fun. We're going for work. We will be baking bread for the patrons." She said and Summers excitement quickly vanished. Morty was still in too much shock to speak. Beth looked between the both of them and then smiled.

"Cheer up you two! This is going to be huge for us!" she exclaimed excitedly. "Now eat up. You're going to be needing your energy to prepare for the next few days." She said but Morty's appetite had disappeared. He pushed himself away from the table and stood.

"I'm pretty tired. I think I'm going to turn in early." He said, rubbing the back of his neck and avoiding his mother's knowing gaze. Before either of them could respond he spun on his heel and headed out of the room towards the main space they all slept in. He changed out of his dirty clothes and whipped himself down with a wet cloth before crawling into the small cot in the corner of the room. As he lay awake, starring at the ceiling he couldn't help but feel sad.

He thought that surely by now he would have found his mate and with each passing day it got harder and harder to stave off the lustful alphas that showed up at his door. Worst of all were the expectations people had for him. An unmated omega was taboo. If he wasn't mated before the end of the year, random alphas would start to battle for the right to have him and the thought made him sick. He wanted nothing more than to run to his mate and as he thought this he felt his mate reach out through the bond, trying to offer him some comfort but it wasn't enough.

In a few days he would be forced to work at an event full of hungry alphas biding for his attention and the thought exhausted him even more and he was mad. Mad that his mate had not come for him yet. He turned over on his side, ignoring the bond by pushing it to the back of his mind. He didn't want to think about it anymore. As he slowly drifted off into a fitful sleep, he sent a silent prayer up to the gods that the ball would go by quickly and that someday soon, he might meet his mate.


	3. Chapter 3

Rick sat at the grand marble desk that he had placed in his quarters. He sighed and leaned back in his chair, rubbing his eyes. It had been a long day of planning for the ball. All day he had been hit with different requests and documents to sign off on in order to get the ball planned in time. Many of the different foods and wines were being imported from the four realms and he had to sign off on each one individually. As he looked over a paper regarding a small bakery that would be supplying the bread for the event he was hit with an overwhelming feeling of sorrow.

It instantly brought a snarl to his lips and he growled softly. His mate was upset. The wolf inside him wanted him to run to them and rip the throat out of whoever had made them feel that way. That's when the feelings shifted and he realized that his mate wasn't just upset. They were mad at him. Mad that he hadn't come for him. He wanted to roar in frustration. His duties to his kingdom were keeping him separate from his mate and now they were feeling like he didn't want them. He tried to send thoughts of encouragement and desire for his mate through the bond but it was abruptly pushed away until he could barely feel them at all.

He stood from his desk, kicking his chair away and trudging over to the balcony's open doors. He made his way outside and gripped the stone under his hands so tightly he could hear it crack under his strength. He wanted more than anything to go searching for his mate in that very moment but he couldn't. There was too much to do. He thought once again to the ball and hoped for his sanity and the sake of his advisee committee that he would find his mate there. If he didn't he would go searching. He wouldn't wait any longer.

It had been a little over a year since he'd felt his bond begin and with each passing day the feeling grew. Worst of all, if his mate was an omega, as they usually were with alphas, they'd be going into their first heat soon and the thought of another alpha laying its hands on his mate nearly drove him mad. At the thought, the wolf inside him howled, its fangs dripping for the taste of blood. Rick quelled his anger the best he could as he looked out over the landscape. He could see the twinkling lights of the villages being lit as night fell. Somewhere among those lights, laid his mate, sad and alone.

"I'm coming for you." He growled.

The next couple days went by in a flash of colors and sounds. Morty couldn't handle the feelings coming through his bond with his mate so he pushed them to the back of his mind while he worked. He planned to open himself back up after the ball but for now he needed to focus on helping his family prepare. When the day of the ball rolled around he was nearly dead on his feet but he pushed through it. A carriage came around evening to pick them up. His mother and Summer had put on their best dresses, their hair primed and prepped to perfection. Morty was wearing his best dress pants which were black and tight fitted. They sat high on his hips and he had a new white dress shirt tucked into them. His mother had insisted on getting him the new shirt no matter how hard he protested. She had even slicked back his usually unruly auburn curls. He had to admit as he looked at his reflection in a mirror, he looked pretty good.

His mother popped her head into the room to tell him it was time to go but then paused as she took in his appearance. With a soft smile she came up behind him and rested her hands gently on his shoulders. "You're growing too fast Morty." She said softly and he turned to face her. "Don't worry mom. I won't be leaving you anytime soon." He said and she smiled sadly, knowing he was referring to the fact that his mate had yet to come for him. "Who knows Morty…Maybe you will meet them tonight. Let's go." She said softly. The thought gave him a little bit of hope and he smiled weakly before following her out the door.

Rick was feeling slightly excited yet frustrated as the patrons of the ball began to flow in. He could sense that his mate was nearby but for some reason they had closed their side of the bond off and he couldn't pinpoint them. Music flowed softly through the air as people chattered back and forth. The bravest of the guests came up to his throne to bow and show their respects while the others milled around casting fearful looks at him. As was expected of them, each eligible omega from every realm was escorted up to him to meet. None of them stood out and his anger was only growing and growing. _Where are they?_ He thought in anger.

He knew his scent was wafting through the room, causing a tension one could cut with a knife but he didn't care. One of the advisors from his council approached him with a respectful bow and whispered in his ear. "My lord, maybe it would help to…" He chose his next words carefully, "hurry things along…if you started the dance." He suggested. The last thing he wanted to do was dance with someone who wasn't his mate but the prospect of getting the night over with was too great. He stood slowly and cleared his throat. The room went silent and every pair of eyes turned to face him. He made his way down the stairs and up to one of the random omega's he was supposed to dance with. Begrudgingly he held out his hand and bowed slightly.

"May I have this dance?" he asked and looked into the omegas eyes. The small man cast his eyes down submissively and nodded before shakily reaching out to take his hand. The music started up again suddenly and people began to pair off. Everything about it felt wrong to him. This wasn't his mate and this dance didn't belong to the random omega on the other end of his arms but he pushed through the frustration as the music picked up.

Morty stood in the kitchen of the castle nervously wringing his wrist in his hand. As "servants" for the night, they were not allowed to be out in the ballroom unless it was to assist someone or refill a table with food. Summer was pouting in the corner while his mother milled about, taking to the other people who were picked to cater the event. Morty could hear a light waltz playing out in the hall and the soft notes helped to calm him slightly. _At least I don't have to see The Blood King._ He thought to himself. The unofficial title was something that had been whispered around since he was young. Fear rolled off him at the thought and he turned away to listen to one of his mother's conversations hoping it would help to calm him.

Suddenly, a well-dressed servant came rushing into the kitchen and locked eye's with him. "You boy!" he called and made a beeline for him. His anxiety shot up instantly and he fiddled with the hem of his shirt nervously. "Yes sir?" he responded and the man eyed him for a moment as if deciding something before nodding to himself.

"The bread table needs to be refilled." He stated and Morty felt his panic rise even more.

"Go and tend to it." He instructed and Morty nodded numbly before grabbing a covered basket that was full of their fresh rolls. He gave his mother a reassuring look before following the man out and into the blinding light of the ball room. It was overwhelming. The lights, the scents the sounds were all too much and he froze for a moment. The man turned around clearly annoyed and barked at him in a gruff voice. "What are you doing standing there? Hurry up or your family won't be paid." He commanded and Morty forced himself to move. His families table was set up in the corner of the ball room and he tried to restoke it without being noticed but to his dismay, a familure voice sounded from behind him. "Well hello, hello sweet heart." The voice chimed and Morty slowly turned to see Tomas. He was dressed in royal blue with embroideries of gold.

He sidled up to Morty and blocked his path once again. Morty wanted nothing more to escape the room. People were dancing and he knew that somewhere in that crowd was a great presence that he assumed to be the king. He did not want to meet the alpha and the fear rolled off him in waves. Tomas noticed him looking around nervously and he grinned wickedly before sliding forward and grabbing Morty's wrist in his hand. He pulled the small boy forward and into his arms. Morty tried to push him away as he knew that he would get in trouble for being in the ballroom for too long but his alpha grip was too strong.

"Come sweetheart, dance with me." He said in an overly sweet voice. Morty's desperation was slowly growing as the end of the waltz came and the group began to disperse. Tomas saw him eyeing the crowed and he grinned showing off his fangs. "There will be another song soon love come with me." Morty had had enough. He ducked and shoved Tomas away without thinking. The man stumbled back a few feet and then looked up at him in shock. Suddenly, his alpha sent got stronger and Morty could smell the rage coming in waves. Before he could apologize Tomas strutted forward and struck him hard across his cheek with the back of his hand. Morty's head jerked to the side with the force of his hit and tears immediately sprung to his eyes. He lifted a hand to cup his injured cheek. _He had disrespected an alpha and he was going to pay for it._ He turned to face the alpha in order to apologize when he realized the entire room had gone deathly silent. Even Tomas was silently staring over his shoulder at something. The pungent smell of fear rolled off of him so thick that Morty nearly choked on his own breath.

Slowly he turned to see what Tomas was staring at and his heart nearly beat out of his chest. There stood the king. He was dressed completely in white with blue silk embroideries and hints of gold. He was tall and his unusually light blue hair was slicked back but what stood out the most, was his icy blue gaze. As Morty met his gaze by accident, something clicked and the whole world stilled. Suddenly, it was if everything else had disappeared leaving only him and the king. For some reason, he was sure he had met the man before. For some reason, he was sure that he knew this man and though he had expected to feel fear in this moment, all he felt was the strong impulse to go to him and that's when it hit him.

The Blood King Sanchez was his long-awaited mate. "Alpha…" He didn't hear the words even as he spoke them.

Rick was all too happy to get away from the omega in his arms as the waltz slowly ended. A few people came up to greet him and he gave them short replies, trying to get away as quickly as he could. He was just about to head back to his throne when he heard a loud thud ring out into the air. The smell of fear hit the air and he jerked his head in the direction of the scent.

Standing in the corner of the ball room was an alpha dressed all in blue but the alpha was the least of his concerns because standing next to him, holding a hand to his cheek was a small boy. The moment his eye's alighted upon his trembling figure he knew. He could feel it like an electric shock that lit every vein in his body ablaze. As the boy turned to look at him, the world stilled. He had impossibly green eyes and a strong jaw that wasn't quite fitting for an omega but looked perfect on him none the less. He was dressed in simple servant's clothes that fit the curves of his legs just right. At last Rick had found him. The one thing his soul had been reaching towards for years was now standing in front of him. The boy looked him in the eyes and in an instant Rick knew that he understood as well.

"Alpha…" he whispered and suddenly Rick was moving. He walked straight past his mate and towards the alpha who had been staring at him in fear. In a blur of movement, he was grabbing the man by his throat and slamming him into the wall. There were gasps of shock from behind him but he couldn't care less. "You dare put your filthy hands on my mate!" he snarled and Tomas's eyes widened in shock. He glanced at Morty before looking back at Rick.

"I-I- didn't know!" he gasped out scrabbling wildly at Rick's hand around his throat. Rick snarled once again and leaned forward until he could taste the fear in the roof of his mouth. "Well…It's a little too late for that isn't it?" he snarled before squeezing. All the anger he had built up in the past years seemed to flow out of him in that moment and it resounded in a sickening pop and crack that sent blood flying. It splattered his face and suit but he didn't care. There were screams from behind him but none of that mattered. He released the man and his limp body slid down the wall before slumping to the ground.

Satisfied, he turned to face his mate. The boy was staring at him with a look of wonder on his face instead of fear. Rick slowly walked forward and reached a hand out to cup his cheek. The boy starred for a moment longer before closing his eyes and nuzzling into his palm. The touch and it was all the confirmation he needed. He reached forward and lifted the boy off the ground with ease. He turned and walked past everyone in the room, who were staring in horror, and through a door that led out of the ballroom.

Morty was frozen to the spot, he couldn't move- wouldn't move, even if he wanted to. He didn't even flinch when his mate squeezed Tomas's throat so hard that it burst in his hand. Blood spattered his face but he didn't care. He felt King Rick's satisfaction at the kill and in turn he was satisfied too. Every pair of eyes in the room were staring at him but it meant nothing compared to the icy blue eyes that were looking at him now. He watched in wonder as the king walked up to him slowly. He reached out his hand and cupped Morty's cheek with it. The touch was electrifying. In the blink of an eye, he was being lifted off his feet and into Rick's arms.

The man carried him out of the room and through a corridor. He knew he should be worried about his family but in that moment, nothing else mattered but the feeling of his alphas arms around him. He kept his eyes on the man's face as they climbed up a set of spiral stairs and down another dark corridor. He wasn't sure where they were going but his answer came sooner than expected when Rick opened a door to reveal a grand room. A giant king-sized mattress stood to the center of on wall. It had a canopy above it with silk curtains and gold tassels. The rest of the room was adorned with little amenities like a personal bar in the corner and a grand marble desk in the other.

The alpha laid him down gently on the bed and then sat down beside him. Morty wasn't quite sure what was supposed to happen now but he was more than happy to simply stare at his mate. Never in a million years, would he imagine that his mate would be such a powerful alpha, let alone the Blood King. A moment ago, he had been afraid to even see the man but now he felt no trace of fear as the man leaned over him and placed a chaste kiss to his forehead.

"I'm sorry." Were the first words he spoke to his him and Morty's eyes widened slightly. The alpha was apologizing to _him._ "Why?" he whispered in response, looking into Rick's deep blue eyes. The man closed his eyes and pressed his forward against Morty's. "For not finding you sooner." He replied. Morty was frozen for a moment. For the past year, he had been desperately waiting for his mate to come to him with no luck. Now his mate was apologizing for it and they were together. Nothing else mattered. Before Morty could think about it, he was reaching up and cupping the man's face in his hands. "It doesn't matter…You're here now." He spoke quietly and the man closed his eyes once again. "What is your name?" he asked quietly without opening his eyes. "Morty." He replied and then it hit him. He pulled away from the man with wide eyes and slowly backed up the bed before lowering himself till his forehead was touching the comforter. "I-I'm sorry my lord. I've been improper." He stammered. In the moment, he had completely forgotten that he was a simple peasant talking to his king.

There was a moment of silence between them and then Morty felt a hand slip underneath his chin. His face was tilted up to meet the kings icy blue gaze. "There is no need for that between us. You are no longer a peasant. You are my mate. You may call me whatever you like and eventually, you will rule beside me." He replied and his deep voice sent shivers down his spine. There was only one thing Morty wanted to call him in that moment. "Alpha…" he whimpered, and in the blink of an eye, the king was on him.


	4. Chapter 4

Rick couldn't wait any longer. As soon as he heard the words leave Morty's mouth he lost all control. He pushed the boy back on the bed and crushed their lips together. He tasted so damn good, but he smelled even better. Rick mouthed his way down Morty's jaw. Morty instinctively tilted his head to give the alpha more access and he whimpered loudly when the man's nose brushed against the sensitive skin there. The omegas scent was intoxicating. He smelled like lemon and rosemary and fresh baked bread and it was almost too good. Rick growled under his breath and then pressed his lips to the boys. He mewled softly and kissed Rick back, tentatively wrapping his arms around the man's neck and pulling him closer. Rick loved it. The void that had consumed his life for years was being filled in the process of one night.

His wolf was nearly purring in pleasure and for once he was able to give it what it wanted. He wanted nothing more than to take Morty and knot him in that moment but he couldn't. In order for their bond to be complete, he would need to knot him during his heat as well as leave a bonding mark. Morty whimpered when he pulled away and looked into his eyes.

"What's wrong?" He asked softly. Rick wanted to growl in frustration.

"I can't make you mine yet…" he answered softly and Morty's eyes widened slightly. He hadn't even thought about the fact that they were going to be mated. The idea excited him more than anything and he felt a bit of slick leak down his thighs. Rick immediately scented the air and then growled before diving back down to kiss him once again. He wanted to tear all the clothing off the boy and mark him over and over again. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door and Rick closed his eyes tightly before slowly pulling away from Morty. He sat up and looked towards the door. Morty was to star struck to react at first but slowly he sat up and fixed his disheveled hair. "What is it?" Rick called with a light growl.

The door creaked open and his squire stepped in, bowing respectfully. "My lord..." Rick glared at him and growled out, "What do they want?" Morty quirked an eyebrow at him. _They?_ As if Rick was reading his mind, he turned to him and explained, "My advisive council." _Oh._ Morty nodded and looked away shamefully. If he didn't even know that the king had an advisive council then how would he be able to rule with him someday. His squire cleared his throat and began to speak once again. "They are very pleased that you have found your mate but as the law dictates, you are not to be alone with him until his first heat." He said shakily, not meeting Rick's eyes. Rick growled and stood making his way toward the squire.

The man began to tremble. "I-I'm sorry my lord-." He began but suddenly, Morty stood and made his way over to Rick. He stepped up behind him and laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. The wolf inside him instantly quieted. Morty looked up into his blue eyes and smiled gently. "It's okay alpha. He is just doing what is expected of him." He whispered calmly and part of Rick wanted to fight but he found it slowly losing out to the look in the boy's eyes. Morty stood up on his tippy toes and pressed a gentle kiss to the man's lips. Rick's eyes fluttered shut and he drank every bit of it up like a man in a desert finding water.

Morty slowly pulled away and looked over at the squire who had been starring in shock. The man quickly regained his demeanor and cleared his throat. "Please come with me my lord." He said and Morty realized he was talking to him this time. He nodded deftly and gave Rick one last look before following the small man out.

The wolf inside Rick was screaming at him to follow his mate but he knew it would only lead to trouble so he turned away from the door and paced back to his bed.

Morty followed the small man as they walked through the castle. The halls were dimly lit and Morty had to guess that it was late into the night. Now that he was away from his alpha, he was able to think more clearly and his concern for his family grew. They finally came to a stop in front of a large set of double doors. "Your quarters, my lord." He said with a bow and swung the door open to reveal a lavish room. The walls were painted a soft lavender color. A giant queen-sized bed sat to the side of the room and Morty noted that it looked a lot like the kings. A small vanity was set up in the corner and a door to the left revealed a small washroom with a bear claw tub and a marble sink to wash up in. "Oh dear, this is far to extravagant for me sir." Morty said and turned to the squire. The man looked like he was tempted to laugh. "Of course, not my lord. You are the Kings mate." He said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Please make yourself at home. Your hand maids will be up in a minute to help you dress." He said and Morty shook his head. "I can dress myself sir. Thank you. I-I would like to know what has become of my family?" he asked. They had been on his mind nonstop since he left Rick's side. "Oh, don't worry. They have been alerted of your location and were escorted back to their village." He explained and the stress of his concern for them slowly melted away.

"Thank you, sir." He said and the man looked slightly shocked. He blushed and bowed respectfully before turning away and closing the door behind him. For the first time in his life, Morty was alone. It felt strange. His body was still exhausted from the week he had spent preparing for the ball and he collapsed back onto his bed, not bothering to undress. As he laid on his back, staring at the ceiling he was overcome with a stifling sense of loneliness. He turned and hugged a pillow to his chest breathing it in. It was stupid to think it may smell like Rick but he wanted it to. He reached out through his bond and brushed up against his mate's mind, seeking some comfort. He was elated when he felt Rick reach back to caress him. With the feeling of Rick's presence curled around his own, he slowly fell into a peaceful sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Morty awoke the next morning to the bright light of the morning sun cascading through the window as well as the sound of a few people bustling around his room. He fluttered his eyes open weakly to be met with the sight of a short plump woman with grey speckled brown hair up in a bun and big brown eyes staring at him. He couldn't help but jump slightly at the sight. "Good Morning my lord! You're up just in time for breakfast!" the woman exclaimed and Morty couldn't help but chuckle at her exuberance. "Good morning." He said in turn and sat up to rub at his eyes.

The woman gave him a strange once over and then smiled. "You are a handsome little thing, aren't you? I heard the rumors but you've exceeded the expectations. The king will be a lucky man." She chattered away as she went around the room, pulling various articles of clothing out of the dressers. Morty blushed bright red and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. He'd never thought of himself to be handsome in the slightest and it was strange to hear. He gave the air a sniff and realized that the woman who was walking around was an omega as well.

"Come my lord, we must get you ready!" she quipped and Morty gave her a strange look. "Um…Mrs…?" he asked, not knowing her name. She looked up at him and smiled. "You can just call me Mari, if it pleases you my lord." She replied. Morty cleared his throat and nodded. "Mari, I can dress myself." He said and she froze for a moment, simply staring at him. "Oh no my lord! That won't do!" She said almost shocked.

Morty sighed and slipped out of bed. Why did everyone insist that he couldn't take care of himself. "Mari. You may pick out what I should wear, since that is not my area of expertise, but I will dress myself." He said slightly sternly and Mari hesitated for a moment before nodding. She puttered around the room once more and then laid out the clothing she had picked on the bed. There was a plain white, long sleeved shirt and a decorative blue vest with gold embroidery that went down past his waist as well as a pair of tight fitting grey trousers and a set of knee high leather boots. Morty had to admit as he slipped them on that they fit perfectly and looked well on him. Mari smiled in satisfaction and then pushed him over to the vanity set in the corner. She forced him to sit still as she combed his unruly curls into perfection. Morty had to admit. He like her. Her omega presence immediately put him at ease and he wondered if he had the same effect on people. As she worked on him, his mind went back to his mate. Already he felt a strong connection to the man but he was distraught that he didn't know anything of him beyond the village rumors.

"Mari?" he piped up as she worked. "Yes darling?" she replied.

"Have you spent much time with the king?" he asked and she stilled slowly but Morty noticed she was smiling softly in the mirror. "Yes, I do. I basically raised him myself." She admitted and Morty's heart hammered away in his chest. "You did?" he exclaimed and she laughed lightly. "Yes well, I was his hand maid for most of his life. I know that boy inside and out." She said and Morty couldn't help but be shocked by the affection in her voice.

"He's not as terrible as people make him out to be." She replied quietly as if reliving a memory. "He has to be harsh to rule and keep our kingdom safe and don't misunderstand me. That man has a side to him that scares even me…but he is not all that meets the eye." She explained quietly and Morty found that most of his anxiety had melted away. He wanted to experience all of his mate for himself.

"Well! Look at you!" she finally said and Morty stared at his reflection in the mirror. He barely recognized himself. "Is all this really necessary? I am just a simple peasant after all…" He murmured. Mari laughed and shook her head. "Trust me, you'll want to make a good first impression with the council." She replied and Morty felt his heart drop. He hadn't even considered that he might have to meet them and the feeling made him sick. As if his thoughts were being read out loud, there was a knock on his door. Mari stilled and then stiffened up and pulled Morty out of his chair. "Prepare yourself." She muttered and then cleared her throat. Morty gave her a confused look but before he could ask her what she meant the door opened and a tall man with dark black hair and slanted green eyes strutted in. Morty nearly gagged as the scent of coal and pine trees washed over his senses. This man was an alpha for sure. He entered the room with an air of sophistication and poise, his hands gripped tightly behind his back. He was dressed and royal blue and black and his eyes roamed over Morty's body like a wild animal sizing up its prey. Morty wanted to growl at the man and run as far away as he could.

"So, this is the Kings mate." He said in a deep gravelly voice. He sounded unimpressed. Morty knew it was considered disrespectful to look an alpha in the eyes but he couldn't control his dislike for the man as he starred him head on. "You seem unimpressed." He replied quietly and he felt Mari stiffen behind him. The scent in the air thickened and Morty had to force himself not to cover his nose. "Hmmm…You'd do well not to open your mouth too often." He replied sinisterly and then turned away. "I am Julias Evercrest, leader of the high council." He introduced himself. Morty could careless who he was but he got the sense that he should probably keep that information to himself.

"Morty Smith. I'm a baker." He replied, almost sarcastically. Julias turned to face him once again and there was a look of clear disapproval on his face. "So, I've heard." He replied before turning away once again. "Come. I shall escort you to the dining hall." The last thing in the world that Morty wanted was to be alone with this man but he was sure that the choice was not up to him. He gave one last look to Mari, before following the man out the door.

For the most part they walked in silence, Morty trailing behind him as they went, but as they came to the door that Morty assumed led into the dining hall he turned suddenly and backed Morty into the wall. Before Morty could respond, he grabbed the boys chin in his hand jerked his face forward. He lowered his face so that he was within inches of Morty's and looked him in the eye.

"You may think you have everyone under your thumb, but let me assure you-." He growled gripping Morty's chin tighter. "You haven't fooled me. I _will_ be rid of you before your coronation." He growled. Morty yanked himself out of the man's grip and thudded lightly into the wall behind him. "I am not trying to fool anyone. The King is my mate. What makes you think I won't tell him what you've done." He growled back and the man grinned at him sinisterly.

"Oh, I don't think you will because if you do, a certain bakery might have an accident leading to someone's death." He whispered and Morty's blood turned to ice in his veins. His family. "I have eyes and ears all over this castle my dear boy. If you breath even a word of this to the king _I_ will know." He threatened and then cleared his expression. "Now, you must be hungry." He said as if nothing had happened and then swung the dining room doors open and entered. Morty was frozen to the spot in terror.

His first instinct was to run to Rick and tell him everything but he couldn't. He couldn't risk the lives of his family. He would have to be silent for the time being. With a deep breath he forced himself to move.


	6. Chapter 6

Rick looked up from the dining room table to the sight of Morty walking into the room. His heart stilled for a moment before it began pounding out of control. He looked so good. His hair had been combed back and placed perfectly over his forehead and he was dressed in an outfit that looked very becoming of him. His excitement at seeing the boy was immediately dampened by the look on his face. Julias, who had entered the room before Morty, gave him a strange look before glancing away and taking a seat at the table. Before Rick could try to ask Morty what was wrong, one of the other council members, Bradford and older male beta, stood and bowed to the boy. "Greetings my lord. It is nice to finally meet you! Take a seat." He said and Morty nodded quietly before taking a seat at the other end of the table, as was customary.

Every inch that Morty was away from him felt like a mile and he longed to stand and take his mate away from them all but he couldn't. So he settled for staring at him hungrily over the table. "So where do you hail from, my lord." Bradford asked and it took Morty a few solid seconds to realize someone was speaking to him. He was too distracted by the plate upon plate of food that was being placed in front of him.

"Ah, I-I-I'm from Criston village in the second realm sir." He stuttered out and the man nodded at him. He could feel Rick looking at him but he knew that if he met the man's eyes, his face would reveal everything. Besides, he could feel Julias starring at him.

Rick tried to reach out through his bond to prod against Morty's mind for some hint of what was going on but was only met with a wall of dark mist. Something wasn't right. That's when he noticed that Julias had been staring daggers at the boy, but he didn't just look angry, he looked hungry. He was glancing over Morty's form with a strange kind of interest and Rick felt a growl escape himself before he could pin it down.

Everyone turned to stare at him and he starred back. "Is something the matter my lord?" Bradford asked and Rick looked at Morty once again before clearing his throat and forcing himself to relax. "No." he replied simply, before fixing his eyes on Julias. The man immediately cast his glance down and away. He felt his wolf purr in slight satisfaction but he still couldn't get over the fact that Morty wasn't meeting his eye anymore and was blocking him out. He needed to know why.

Morty could feel Rick's eyes on him the entire time they ate and when he tried to brush against the bond in a gentle question, Morty pulled away, putting up a barrier. It was harder now that they were both so close but he couldn't risk his families lives. Julias was keeping a close watch of him out of the corner of his eye. So Morty quickly ate a few bites and then pushed himself away from the table. "It was nice to meet you all but I think I should retire to my room." He announced with a slight bow. "Oh, of course my lord." Bradford said. Rick suddenly pushed away from the table as well and cleared his throat. "I will escort you." He said and Julias immediately opened his mouth to interject but Rick held a hand up to him.

"With a chaperone, of course." He clarified and Julias shut his mouth slowly. He couldn't disagree. "Very well then." He growled and then snapped his fingers. A thin man who had been standing at a distance behind them suddenly stepped forward and bowed respectfully before walking to open the door to the hall. Rick came around to his side and held out his arm for Morty to take. The last thing he had wanted right now was to be alone with Rick but it was obvious that he had no choice. He reached forward and slid his arm around Rick. Rick promptly began to walk forward, leading them out of the room. As Morty looked over his shoulder one last time he caught Julias's gaze and his blood ran cold. His expression said it all.

 _Speak one word and they're dead._

Rick could smell Morty's anxiety as they walked through the corridors. He was nearly ridged beside him and his nails dug into the fabric of Rick's coat. Their chaperone followed behind them a few feet allowing them some semblance of privacy. Rick took the chance to finally ask what was wrong. He glanced over at the boy and saw that he was staring straight ahead as if trying to avoid his gaze. It made him want to growl in frustration. He wanted those deep green eyes on him. "Morty…Are you okay?" he whispered and the boy flinched slightly. He hesitated before putting on an obviously fake smile and glancing at Rick.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" he asked as if it were a silly question. _He's hiding something._ He thought to himself. _Why would he lie to me?_ Was he regretting having met him? The thought made him feel sick. He had been so excited to finally meet his mate and the thought for sure that Morty felt the same way but maybe he had been wrong. A light growl slipped past his lips and Morty froze. Before he could respond, Rick was pulling away from him. "I think you can find your way back to your room from here." He said lowly and Morty's eyes widened.

"Rick…" He whispered and the man paused. He hesitated for a moment, in hopes that the boy would tell him to stay but he merely glanced at the chaperone behind him before slowly closing his mouth and looking away. Rick felt his heart thud in his chest.

"Of, course…too much of a coward to say it yourself." He growled before he could stop himself and then spun around. The arched scent of pain that hit the air nearly stopped him in his tracks and he stuttered forward as he walked. He tried to act like he didn't care that he'd obviously hurt Morty but as he made it to his own room and collapsed back onto his bed he felt his resolve start to crumble.

Morty felt the moment that his heart broke. Rick thought he was a coward. His alpha, his _mate,_ thought he was a coward and it hurt _so much._ He had to bite his lip to keep it from trembling as he turned and slowly walked back to his room. The 'chaperone' had disappeared when Rick left and it took him a moment to track down his room. When he opened the door he was met by Mari. "Darling you're back! How did it go?" she said and then her face fell as she took in Morty's expression. "Oh sweetheart, what's wrong?" She said and before Morty could stop them, the tears began to fall. He ran over to his bed and threw himself down on it, burying his face in the pillow. Mari came over at sat on the edge of his bed. She reached over and ran a comforting hand through his curls.

"He-he's angry with me…" he sobbed and Mari frowned. "Who sweetheart?" she asked quietly. Morty turned to her, not caring that his eyes were probably red rimmed and puffy. For some reason he knew he could trust her. Maybe it was the omega pheromones she was naturally emitting but Morty had a feeling it was much more than that.

"Rick…he said I was a coward." He whispered and Mari's expression changed instantly from sweet concern to anger. "That fool…" she muttered angrily to herself and Morty would have laughed at her motherly tone if he weren't so heart broken. He hid his face back in his pillow and took a deep stuttering breath. "I'm sorry sweetheart. Rick can be…emotional at times. He tends to thing with his head instead of his heart and I've seen it get to him many times before. You'll have to be patient with him my dear…" she murmured and Morty wished it had made him feel better but it didn't.


	7. Chapter 7

Later that night, Rick sat at his desk, trying but failing to focus on the papers in front of him, when there was a quiet knock on his door. Without looking up he called for the person to enter. When he heard the door open and then close he looked up to see Mari walking towards him. A grin spread across his face and he stood to greet her.

"Mari! It's very nice to see you." He said truthfully but instead of agreeing with him she walked up into his space and before he knew what was going on she was reaching back and smacking him across the face. If it had been anyone else who had dared to hit him, he would have torn their throat out in less than the blink of an eye, but because it was Mari, he merely turned back to her with an expression of shock on his face.

"What in the name of god was that for?" he exclaimed but Mari shook her head angrily and fixed him with a deadly stare he had seen on many occasions throughout his childhood. "How dare you call Morty a coward!" she exclaimed and Rick's confusion melted into anger.

"So he told you." He growled and then turned away. "Figures. He couldn't say it to my face but he could say it to you…" He muttered and Mari screwed up her face in both anger and confusion. "What in the heavens are you talking about?" She asked and Rick turned back towards her. "He doesn't want to be my mate. He can barely look at me. He just can't say it to my face." He growled, starring Mari in the face. Mari was silent for a moment before her face softened and she stepped forward. Rick watched as she reached up and placed a gentle hand on his cheek.

"I love you darling…" She said softly but then added more seriously, "but sometimes you are such a damn fool." She starred at him for a moment longer before pulling away and heading back towards the door. Before she left she turned back to him and with a stern look said, "That boy loves you and you need to fix this." Rick's heart began to thud in his chest and his eyebrows rose. _He loves me?_ He started to think to himself in amazement but before he could think too much on it Mari spoke again lowly.

"Also…I think you should keep an eye on Julias. I have a bad feeling about him…" she said seriously before slipping out of the room. Suddenly, the events of the day came crashing back down on him and a growl slipped from his throat before he could stop it.

He remembered Julias entering the dining room before Morty, the way he stared at the boy throughout breakfast and the 'chaperone' he had sent along with them when they had left. Morty had clearly been afraid of him which meant that Julias had done something to the boy. That's why Morty had been acting so weird and Rick had called him a coward, had hurt him deeply all because of his own insecurities. In that moment, Rick hated himself and before he could even think about it he was grabbing his cloak and pulling it on before slipping into the darkened hallway.

Morty sat on a cushioned window seat in his room that overlooked the castle gardens.

He watched the lights of the nearest town start to be lit and he had to admit it was a beautiful sight but it was bittersweet. He knew he'd probably never see this view again. Surely after today, Rick would have him sent back home and the thought nearly made him sick. All he had ever wanted was to be with his mate but because of Julias, that was being ripped away from him.

A tear slipped over his cheek for the hundredth time that day and he wiped it away, biting his trembling lip. He didn't want to let it happen but what could he do? He couldn't tell Rick, not when someone could be listening around every corner. An image of his mom and sister laying lifeless on the ground popped into his mind and he had to quickly shake his head of the horrifying image. His head jerked toward the door when there was a sudden knock.

Before he could welcome the person in, thinking it was Mari, the door opened revealing a darkened figure. His heart stopped in his chest when the person stepped into the light revealing not Mari but Julias. Morty shakily got to his feet and wrapped his arms around himself protectively. "Wh-what do you want?" He asked shakily and Julias just stared at him for a moment before slowly crossing the room.

"You did well today to not say anything to Rick." He cooed and the hungry look in his eyes made Morty want to retch. Morty looked away. "Did- did I really have a choice?" he replied sarcastically. Suddenly, Julias was stepping into his space and backing him up against the wall. Morty tried to escape but Julias grabbed his wrist and slammed him against the wall before taking his chin in his hand and jerking his face up to meet his.

Morty struggled against him uselessly and then froze when Julias leaned forward and shoved his nose into the crook of his neck. His eyes widened and it took all his strength not to gag as the man scented him. "God, you smell wonderful when you're afraid." He growled lowly and a shiver ran up Morty's spine. He tried to jerk away, but Julias just pressed in closer, pinning his body against the wall. A whimper escaped him when he felt the brush of the man's cold, chapped lips against the sensitive skin of his neck. "If only you were mine…" He whispered.

That was too much for Morty, without even thinking, he jerked his right knee up and into the man's groin. Julias immediately let go of him with a hiss of pain and Morty took the chance to slip under his arm. He tried to run for the door but before he could make it, the man was on him once again. This time he gripped the back of Morty's shirt and threw him to the floor before flipping him onto his back. Morty cried out as he twisted his arms behind him and slammed his face into the floor. This time there was no chance of him getting away as Julias had both his arms pinned behind his back with one strong hand while he laid on his stomach.

"You think you can get away from me that easily sweetheart?" he cooed and Morty froze when he felt a cold dry hand slip up the back of his shirt and up his spine. Tears sprung to his eyes and he clenched them tight, trying to imagine being anywhere but here.

"You're _mine_ now." He growled lowly and Morty yelped when he felt the man's mouth on the small of his back. "Please!...Stop!" he whimpered but Julias ignored him as he slid his hand back down Morty's body to the edge of his pants. Morty was going to be sick. This wasn't how his life was supposed to go. This moment was supposed to be with his mate. With the one he loved, but it was about to be ripped away from him by a monster. For the first time that day, he opened his bond back up and sent a silent prayer to Rick. Hoping the man would forgive him when he found out what had happened.

As if God himself were listing, the door to his room suddenly opened to reveal Rick. Julias jerked his attention up and towards the man and Morty felt the exact moment that his heart stopped in his chest. Before he could even open his mouth, Rick was on him.

When Rick opened the door to Morty's room he was met with a sight that made his heart stop beating in his chest. Julias had Morty pinned to the ground with his hands held behind his back and one of his hands was slipped down the back of the boy's pants.

The last thing he remembered was looking over at Morty's tear stained face and meeting his gaze because when he came back to himself once again he was covered in blood from head to toe. The iron taste of blood filled his mouth and dripped down his chin. Julias laid at his feet with a giant chunk of his throat ripped out, his eyes staring blankly up at the ceiling. His mouth was still hanging open in a silent scream. He stumbled backwards and as the room started to come back into view he heard a whimper from behind him. He whipped around, somewhat wildly, to the sight of Morty still crouched on the floor. Tears streamed down his face and he whimpered once again as he held out a hand to Rick. "Alpha…" he whispered and Rick felt the room begin to spin again. Julias had hurt his mate, had tried to threaten him and take what was rightfully Ricks. The anger was building back up again.

Suddenly, he crossed the room to the boy and leaned down to pull him up and into his arms. Morty nuzzled into his chest and wrapped his arms around his neck tightly. "Alpha…I'm sorry…" He sobbed and Rick wanted to resurrect Julias just so that he could kill him once again. Rick couldn't even bring himself to speak. He kicked open the boys door and made his way down the hallway. Half way to his room he was met by Joseph and Bradford who starred at him in wide eyed horror. "M-My Lord! What happened?" Joseph exclaimed but his face softened when he saw how hard the boy in his arms was trembling. Rick looked them dead in the eyes and they both immediately averted their gaze.

"Julias committed treason and he hurt my mate. Have someone clean up the mess in Morty's room." He said with a growl. "Bu-but my lord-." Bradford began but Rick cut him off with a harsh snarl. "This is not a request it is an order. I do not want to be disturbed tonight." He growled before turning and whisking Morty away and up the stairs to his bedroom.

As soon as they were alone, Rick let himself break down. He didn't hesitate to throw Morty down on the bed and climb on top of him. Before the boy could even speak a word, Rick was crushing their lips together.


	8. Chapter 8

Morty couldn't help the little whimper of satisfaction and relief that left him as Rick pressed their lips together. He reached up and wrapped his arms around the man's neck, pulling him closer. Rick growled softly and began planting soft kisses to every surface of the boy's skin that he could reach. "Di-Did he hurt you?" he asked in between kisses. Morty shook his head and gasped slightly when Rick pressed his lips to the pulse point under his jaw. Rick was furious. He could still smell Julias's overwhelming scent all over Morty and he hated it.

"Did he- Did he…." Rick began but he couldn't even finish the sentence. Morty shook his head vigorously. "Alpha…" He whispered and Rick froze. He lifted his head just enough to stare into Morty's deep green eyes. "I'm sorry…" He whimpered and Rick had to swallow another growl. He clenched his eyes shut for a moment before opening them once again. He changed their position so that his back was up against the head board and Morty was straddling his lap. "Don't apologize my love…" He whispered, pulling Morty close and wrapping his arms around his waist. "I-I was wrong. I thought…I thought you didn't want me anymore." He stuttered out. Rick wasn't used to being vulnerable. He wasn't used to feeling unsure of himself but somehow the boy was able to break down his wall's so easily.

Morty's expression softened and he lifted his hands slowly, to cup the man's face in his hands. "I could never not want you." He whispered and the words were almost too much for Rick. He leaned forward and rested his forehead against the boy's shoulder. Morty wrapped his arms around Rick's neck and carded his hands up into the man's hair. Rick could still smell Julias and it was driving him crazy. He nosed his way across the expanse of Morty's skin that was exposed and mouthed the crook of his neck where the scent was strongest.

Morty moaned softly and it only served to drive Rick more. He growled and sucked a dark bruise into the boy's neck before leaving another one and another one. Morty was practically writhing in his arms and it still wasn't enough. He wanted more. He wanted Morty to smell only of him and he wanted the same in return. He wanted everyone who came within a mile of the boy to know that he was _his._

Without warning, he pushed Morty back so that he was lying flat against the bed and ripped the boy's shirt open straight down the middle. He wasted no time in latching his mouth onto one of Morty's nipples, making the boy keen out in pleasure. Suddenly, a sickly-sweet scent hit the air and Rick nearly moaned himself just at the scent of it. He rolled his hips down into Morty's and traced his hand down the side of his body until he came to the hem of the boy's trousers. He looked up at Morty for only a second and the boy met his eyes.

There was a light sheen of sweat on his fair skin and a blush spread across his face as he nodded, giving Rick his permission. "Please alpha…" He whimpered and Rick all but snarled before plunging his hand down the front of the boy's pants. As soon as Rick's hand made contact with his neglected erection Morty let out a load moan and Rick grinned in satisfaction before sliding the boy's pants down his hips just enough to free his cock. He licked his way down the omegas chest, leaving little red bruises as he went, until he came to his dick.

The smell was intoxicating. Morty was leaking slick and it had already soaked through his clothes to the bed underneath. Rick traced the entrance to his hole with two fingers before slowly inching one in. Morty arched his back off the bed and keened. "Rickkk!" he moaned and the man grinned before extracting his fingers. Morty watched as he lifted the two fingers to his mouth and swiped his tongue over the digits. "Fuck you taste good sweet heart." He moaned and Morty swore he could have come just from hearing the words tumble from his alphas mouth.

Before he could get his mind together and reply, Rick was dipping his head down to wrap his mouth around Morty's weeping cock. Morty's hands stuttered on the sheets before he raised them to fist in the man's soft blue hair. "Fucckk…ungh!...Rick…" He groaned and the alpha smiled around his cock before popping off for a second. "Such a filthy mouth on my omega…" He murmured and something about the man calling him his omega made him nearly lose it. He started to shake and a fresh wave of slick leaked between his legs when Rick swiped his tongue over the slit of his member.

Morty was quickly losing control, climbing faster and faster towards his climax when Rick suddenly popped off his cock and began unbuttoning his own trousers before inching them down just enough to release his trapped dick. Morty couldn't help but stare in wide eyed wonder at the man's cock. It was huge, much larger than Morty's own and had a sizeable knot at the base. He was struck suddenly, by the overwhelming urge to have that knot buried deep inside him but Rick seemed to have another idea as he scooped up some more of Morty's slick and took both of their dicks into his hand.

Morty's eyes nearly rolled back in his head when the man began to pump them together. Rick leaned down and began pressing slick kisses all over Morty's chest, marking him up even further. "I want you to be mine…" he growled and Morty fluttered his eyes shut with a wanton moan. "I want you to smell like me. I want to mark you and keep you all to myself." He continued and Morty loved it, longed for it.

"P-Please alpha!" He cried out, clutching at Rick's shoulders. Rick leaned down and sucked Morty's ear lobe into his mouth before biting down on it softly and then turning his lips to kiss the edge of his ear. "Come for me sweetheart." He whispered and that was all it took.

Morty's whole body shook as he came across their chest's, crying out Ricks name as he rode out the waves of pleasure. Rick continued to pump them together. His rhythm slowly faltering as he reached his own climax with a low groan. He collapsed on top of the boy, planting gentle kisses to his cheeks and lips. Morty's eyes slowly fluttered open and he stared in admiration at Rick's face. A light pink blush had rose to his cheeks and he grinned at the boy before maneuvering them so that Morty's back was against his chest and his arms were around the boy's waist.

"W-we should clean up." Morty stuttered out, his eyes already dropping from exhaustion.

"Later." Rick murmured, pressing a chaste kiss to the back of Morty's hairline. "You smell too good to wash it all away." He growled before pressing his nose to the back of Morty's neck. The boy blushed lightly but smiled. The sun had already gone down beyond the horizon and the stars were twinkling brightly outside the windows. Morty realized that he had never felt more content in his life then with his mate snuggled up behind him as they laid in bed.

"Thank you alpha…" Morty whispered as his eyes slowly fluttered closed. Rick merely grunted behind him but Morty could feel his body relax as he slowly sunk into the comforting darkness of sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

Morty awoke to the soft sound of birds chirping outside the windows. He was warm. So warm and comfortable. Someone shifted behind him and he remembered suddenly the events of the night before. He blushed bright red when he realized he was still laying in bed with Rick snuggled up behind him. Slowly so as to not wake his mate, he shifted so that he was facing the man. Rick was still asleep and Morty watched as his chest rose and fell softly. He would have looked so peaceful in his sleep if it weren't for the blood that still stained his mouth, chin and throat. The memory of the night before suddenly came shrieking back at him and he closed his eyes tightly against the onslaught of emotions.

He remembered the look in Rick's eyes as he took in the sight before him and the moment that look changed from confusion to fury. He had crossed the room like a bat out of hell, not hesitating to grip Julias by the throat and throw him across the room like he weighed nothing. He knew that in that moment, a hundred men could not have stopped his alpha from getting to him. He watched in unique horror, and slight admiration, as Rick lifted Julias off the floor by his hair and slammed him against the wall. "W-wait Ri-My lord! It's not what you think!" Julias tried to defend himself uselessly but before he could even finish getting the words out, Rick was lunging forward and sinking his sharp canines into his throat.

Morty would never forget the sound Julias had made as his jugular was ripped out by Rick's teeth alone. It was a cross between a shriek and a gurgling moan. Rick had then released the man and Julias slunk down the wall, still clawing at his throat and trying to speak only for it to come out as a gurgling mess of broken words and spouts of blood that fell from his lips.

Morty shook his head to rid himself of the images. It didn't matter anymore anyways. Julias was dead, and Rick was in his arm's sleeping soundly. Morty reached forward hesitantly and gently traced the lines around the man's eyes. He looked tired but content, his light blue hair sticking out in all directions. He was beautiful, even covered in dried blood and sweat. Morty leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss to the man's lips. Rick stirred softly in his sleep and he let out a low sound that Morty could only compare to the purr of a cat, before opening his eyes.

He smiled gently and pulled the boy closer. "Good morning love." He whispered and Morty grinned at him. "Good Morning Alpha." He replied and Rick let out another rumbling purr before releasing the boy and sitting up. Morty watched as he stretched his arms up above his head and yawned. "We should clean up." He said and Rick turned back to him with a miffed expression. He starred at Morty for a moment longer before diving back down to capture his lips in a kiss. Morty let himself be pushed against the bed as Rick climbed back on top of him. The man kissed his way down the omegas throat before shoving his nose into the crook of Morty's throat. "Mmmmm…but you smell so good." He said and Morty couldn't help but laugh.

"You're covered in blood Rick." He replied and Rick rose his head back up to look him in the eyes. "Wouldn't be the first time." He replied. From all the stories Morty had heard, he was sure the statement was true. "Come on." He said and Rick grunted with a slight pout before rolling off of him to stand. He yanked a string that was attached to the wall next to his bed and Morty heard a bell ring somewhere distantly. There was a knock at the door and Morty quickly drew the blankets around himself to hide his bare chest.

"Come in." Rick called and the door opened to reveal Rick's squire. "You rang my lord." He replied, giving Morty a quick glance before staring at the floor. "Have someone draw a bath for Morty and I." He commanded and the man simply nodded his agreement before slipping out of the room.

It didn't take long for the servants to prepare a bath for them and in less than an hour, Morty was sitting in a warm tub of water with Rick at his back. Rick hummed in contentment and sank down further into the water, wrapping his arms around the boy's waist. Morty smiled and let his head fall back to rest upon Rick's shoulder.

"The last time I had a bath, it was in the freezing cold waters of the east river. This is much nicer." He said with a laugh. Rick opened his eyes and leaned forward to rest his chin on Morty's shoulder thoughtfully. "It must have been hard to grow up outside of the castle." He said, voicing his thoughts out loud. Morty thought on this for a moment, but then smiled and shook his head. "It wasn't really. I had my mother and sister with me and that was enough." As soon as the words left his mouth he remembered with sudden clarity, the danger they may still be in. He sat up abruptly and turned to face his mate. "Rick! My family! They may be in-." he started to say in a panic-stricken voice but Rick cut him off with a calming hand on his shoulder.

"I know. Don't worry. They are safe. I sent some men to check on them last night. They should be relocated to live in the castle by sundown." He said and Morty was left to open and close his mouth stupidly like a fish out of water. "H-how did you know?" he stuttered and Rick's expression suddenly became very serious.

"Mari warned me that Julias may have said something to you yesterday. It wasn't hard to figure out what he could have threatened to do to keep you from telling me what he had said." He explained simply and Morty was hit with the overwhelming feeling of affection for the man. His expression softened and he leaned forward to press a soft kiss to the man's lips.

"Thank you." He whispered and Rick nodded in reply. Morty picked up the sponge that the servants had left at the edge of the bath for them and began softly scrubbing the blood off of Rick's chest and face. Rick watched him thoughtfully as he worked. The gentle way he handled the man spoke a lot about the way was he was as a person and Rick was struck by the sudden thought that he may not deserve someone like this. Someone who was gentle and soft spoken but brave and selfless at the same time.

Morty looked up and met his eyes, quirking an eyebrow at the expression on the man's face. "What is it?" he asked softly. Rick was silent for a moment before reaching to cup the boy's face in his hands. He pulled Morty forward and pressed a soft kiss to his lips.

"Nothing." He replied quietly and Morty stared at him for a moment before returning to his gentle notions. Everything felt right with the world in that moment, and Rick allowed himself to relax, knowing that everything he could ever want was sitting in his arms.

The light of a candle flickered against the stone walls of a corridor as a man quietly made his way down a flight of stairs. He stopped at the edge of an intersecting hallway to glance around, making sure he wasn't being followed. After confirming that the coast was clear he continued on until he came across a wooden door with a rusted iron handle. He knocked three times and the door opened, allowing him to slip quietly into a dimply lit room. Water dripped from between the stones above his head and the air smelled of mold.

"Why must we always meet in this filthy place." He growled as he shook of some of the water droplets from the hood of his cloak. "You know why." A voice growled from his left and he turned to be met by a pair of glowing yellow eyes looking out from the darkness. "Never mind that, what has become of Julias?" A second voice asked and a short man in dark black robes stepped forward and into the flickering light of the candle.

"He's dead." The man with yellow eye's replied bluntly and the shorter man growled in frustration. "What are we to do now? The king will surly increase his guard's and now that he knows Julias's plot it will be much harder to in act our plan. He's going to be distrustful of us all." The man with the candle said as he took a seat on an overturned barrel.

A cough sounded from the darker end of the room and all eyes turned to look in its direction. Slowly a third figure stepped out into the light. A thin woman with bright blue eyes and a mess of dark red curls cleared her throat and fixed her eyes on them. "This changes nothing my dears." She said in a soothing voice. "Julias was an idiot driven by his own jealous feelings and pride and that is why he failed…but we will not fail. We will have what we desire most because we have a plan." She explained and the man with the glowing yellow eyes scoffed lightly under his breath. "And what is it that you have in mind." He growled.

The woman was silent for a moment before a devilish grin overtook her soft features. "It's simple really. We kill the kings mate and the king falls with him."


	10. Chapter 10

"Mother!" Morty exclaimed as he ran down a corridor in the castle. It was a part of the castle reserved as the servant's quarters and Rick had arranged for Morty's family to be settled there in the biggest room. Beth, who had been carrying a wooden crate full of her belongings into the room, spun around at the sound of her son's voice and she instantly dropped the box with a clatter and ran towards him. Morty crashed into his mother and wrapped his arms around her tightly, burying his face in her neck to breath in her familure scent.

Rick, who had been following slowly behind, smiled at the exchange and leaned up against the wall with his arms crossed. "I was so worried about you!" she exclaimed and Morty pulled back just enough to look her in the face. Her eyes were watering and he reached up to swipe a tear away from her cheek. "I know. I'm so sorry but everything happened so fast. You don't have to worry though. I've been taken care off." He explained and Beth's expression faltered slightly as she looked over his shoulder at the king.

Morty sensed her apprehension and he pulled away and walked over to the man. He reached forward and took Rick's hand in his own. The man allowed him to pull him forward so that he was standing in front of Beth. "Mother…This is my mate." He said hesitantly. Rick stared straight ahead at the woman who didn't even flinch away from his strong gaze.

"How do you do?" he asked, nodding towards the woman. He was amazed at her open display of disrespect as she stared straight back at him but it didn't bother him. On the contrary, he found it quite impressive. "I'm fine, thank you. I take it that you've been taking good care of my son my lord." She replied and Rick couldn't help the grumbling chuckle that escaped him.

"I see where you get your bravery from Morty." He commented and Beth seemed to relax slightly at the fond look he gave her son. Morty smiled and intertwined their fingers. "I suppose so." He replied and Beth smiled. Suddenly, there was a squeal from somewhere behind them and Morty turned to see a familure young woman running towards him. "Summer!" he exclaimed and pulled away from Rick to wrap his sister in a warm hug.

"Morty! I'm so jealous you little twerp!" she exclaimed and affectionately shook him back and forth. "You're the kings mate!" she said and suddenly quieted down to turn towards the mentioned man. She cast her glance down at the ground and curtsied before the king. "Excuse my enthusiasm my lord." She apologized and Rick simply shook his head at her.

"It is not necessary to apologize." He replied and Summer smiled at him before pulling Morty aside to whisper in his ear. "He's so handsome…" She whispered and Morty blushed bright red. Rick grinned, revealing his pearly white fangs. "Well…I think I'll leave you to your family my love. I have some business to attend to." Rick said after clearing his throat. Morty's face fell slightly but he nodded in understanding before reaching up on his toes to press a chaste kiss to the man's lips. Rick smiled at him before waving goodbye to the rest of his family and turning on his heels to walk down the hallway. Morty watched him go for a moment, before following his family into their room and closing the door behind him.

Rick's mind was working in overtime as he made his way down the hallways. He was happy that Morty's family was now settled safely into the castle but he knew that things were still far from being fixed. He still needed to meet with the council to replace Julias's position with a new ambassador. That wasn't the only thing on his mind though. Something wasn't right. He could feel it in the air and he needed to get to the bottom of it.

After turning down a couple more corridors he arrived at the doors to the council chamber and he wasted no time in pushing them open and stepping in. Joseph, Bradford and the third ambassador, Lenard, turned to face him as he walked in, but they weren't alone. As he entered the room, a fourth person stood and bowed to him respectfully. She was a relatively small woman with bright red hair and blue eyes. Rick scented the air and determined that she was an alpha as well.

"My lord." Joseph said and bowed to him. "We'd like to apologize for Julias's actions. His betrayal should not have been so easy. We've taken the liberty to increase the guard's around the castle as well as your mate's own guard's." He said before taking his seat once again. Rick let out a low growl as he replied, "you're right. It should not have happened. Morty will be staying at my side from now on. Does anyone have a problem with that?" he asked, daring even a single one of them to object. He nodded his head in satisfaction when no one replied and took a seat in his throne. "and who might this be?" he asked, referring to the woman who was still standing near the rest of the ambassadors.

"This is the new ambassador to replace Julias." Bradford replied, his thick black mustache moving over his lips. "That was awfully fast…" he replied, glancing back at the woman. "I'm very pleased to be of service to you my lord. My name is Lilly." She spoke, and her voice was strangely soothing. Rick starred at her for a long moment before slowly looking away. "Very well then. You may proceed as Julias's replacement." He decided.

"Thank you, my lord." She replied with a curtsy and moved to take her seat behind the table alongside the other council members. "Now…" Rick began, crossing his legs and clasping his fingers under his chin. "Let's discuss security."

For a while they discussed the different security measurements that would be increased as well as different tactics to finding out who had helped Julias with his threats. Rick was aware of Lilly's eyes on his the entire time he spoke. Something about her gave him a strange feeling but he couldn't quite figure it out. Maybe it was the fact that she was an alpha but behaved like an omega but he couldn't be sure. The sun had just set behind the mountains as they finished up their meeting. Rick bid them farewell as he left the room and made his way towards his quarters.

All he could think about was seeing Morty again. It felt like he hadn't seen the boy in months even though it had only been a few hours. He reached his room and turned the handle, swinging the door open with the idea of seeing his mate only to be met with a much different sight. He froze as he looked over at his bed to see a beautiful woman, dressed in white silk that did nothing to hide her curves, laying seductively across his bed. His eyes widened as he looked around the room and then settled back down on her.

"And who the hell are you?" he growled. The woman simply smiled and rose slowly before sauntering over to him. "I heard you may want a little company tonight…" she whispered and her voice was low and breathy. Anyone else may have found the sight quite tempting and a month ago, Rick may have felt the same. He'd often had flings with different men and woman, trying to fill the void left by his missing mate, but now the idea nearly made him sick. Her scent was all wrong, it was too sweet, too feminine. She smelled like rose water and soap. Rick growled under his breath and took a step back. The woman simply advanced on him.

"Who sent you?" He growled and the woman cocked her head to the side, her dark brown curls falling over her shoulder to cascade down her back. "I'm not given that information. I simply receive the orders and I follow them." She replied and stepped forward until she was pressed firmly against his front, lifting a hand to rest on his neck. Another growl escaped him but she persisted. "You have me for the night my lord…and I'm up for anything." She cooed, her dark brown eye's half lidded with lust. Before Rick could tell her to get lost, she was reaching up on her tippy toes to press a kiss to his lips.

That's when Rick heard a loud clatter and a gasp from behind him. He snapped his head in the direction of the sound to be met with the sight of Morty standing stone still in the doorway. The basket of fresh baked bread he had been carrying now laid on the ground, its contents spread out across the floor. Before he could even reply, the boy was turning on his heel's and taking off. "Morty!" He called out and moved to take after him but the woman grabbed him by the wrist, stopping him in his tracks. "Wait my lord-." She began but Rick ripped his hand out of her grasp with a snarl. Her eye's widened and she took a step back. "I suggest you get the hell out of here before I really lose my temper…" he growled low in his throat and the woman didn't meet his gaze. Without another glance at the woman, he took off after his mate.


End file.
